Lamborghini’s electric pitch
/A high-stepping battery-wed GT is in sportscar make’s future.
DOESN’T sound like, doesn’t look like, doesn’t drive like … Lamborghini is well versed to that reaction.
But enough about owner comment made about the Urus when it first came out. The Audi Q8-spun steroidal sports utility might be hated by some cognoscenti, but it’s credited with having saved the brand.
Same will go for the Lanzador, a word that means ‘thrower, pitcher or launcher’, according to Google.
Unveiled at Monterey Car Week, aka the Quail, an annual car gathering at which ordinary swank doesn’t stand chance of admission, this is a concept of the car Lamborghini plans to have out in five years from now, when it enters the all-electric arena.
Officially, it’s being called a ‘high ground clearance GT”, a descriptive that puts it more in the same category as Urus with which it seems to share a similar footprint than, say, an Aventador or the poster boy Countach.
Chief executive Stephan Winkelmann believes the two-door, high-ground clearance two-plus-two seater (but only two door) design running 23-inch rims is the way to go.
Part of Lamborghini’s Direzione Cor Tauri electrification strategy, the car is slated for 2028 build, which is why it took the in-crowd at the California venue by surprise. Seeing a model so far in advance of its actual release is unusual.
"When you are in a super sports car company like Lamborghini, you have to see what is missing in the lineup," Winkelmann told a US news outlet.
"So with two super sports cars and one super sports SUV, it's important for us to have what we were doing over decades — GT cars — this is what is missing. And I think this is perfectly matching with the DNA of Lamborghini."
In terms of powertrain, Lamborghini says the Lanzador features an electric motor on each axle to provide an all-electric drive setup.
It is being coy about details like range, battery, charging capacity, or even zero to 100kmh acceleration. However, it says the powertrain can, in certain conditions, provide peak power of over one megawatt, equivalent to 1300 horsepower.
An active chassis with a steerable rear axle and air suspension are able to be controlled through the steering wheel.The active e-torque vectoring on the rear axle means power can be focused left to right on the rear axle, providing for more "dynamic cornering behaviour," the company says.
“Significantly” more sensors and actuators will be integrated into the supercar’s dynamic driving control to ensure the smoothest ride possible, the brand has also suggested. The Lanzador’s algorithmic computer takes in data to deliver a nuanced driving experience that improves over time.
In respect to the exterior design, Lamborghini head of design Mitja Borkert said the inspiration was “spaceships." The driver is meant to feel like an astronaut or jet pilot while at the wheel. He suggests the heavy forward-look of the cabin and sharp lines and creases lend the look of an alien python from another dimension. The hexagonal-shaped taillights with three LED elements on each side take their inspiration from the Countach LPI 800-4.
The interior features Lamborghini’s jet fighter-like cockpit design, with hard angles and a swath of differing textures and materials.
Lamborghini’s commitment to a more sustainable supply chain means the interior will come appointed in sustainably sourced leather, plus there’s inclusion of recycled nylon and plastics as well as regenerated carbon fibre.
Lamborghini has already started down the route to ultimately wean from fossil fuels, with the Revuelto plug-in hybrid, which will ultimately replace the Aventador.